Nothing Sacred (1937)




Fedric March, Carole Lombard, Walter Connolly - Nothing Sacred




Hazel Flagg, a resident of Warsaw, Vermont, has always wanted to leave her village and visit New York City. One day, the town physician, Dr. Downer, examines Hazel and tells her that she has been poisoned by radium and has only six months to live. However, shortly afterward, the doctor corrects his diagnosis and informs Hazel that she is actually healthy.

The story of Hazel's impending death reaches New York City, where it is exploited by Wally Cook of The Adorning Star. Cook, who is currently out of favor with his publisher, Stone, sees an opportunity to increase the circulation of the Star by featuring Hazel's story. With Stone's approval, Cook arranges to bring Hazel to New York. Hazel persuades Downer to maintain the fiction of her impending death so that she can fulfill her dream of visiting the city.

The Star's campaign is sensational. Upon arriving in Manhattan, the "dying girl" is given the key to the city. As millions read about her tragic case, Hazel becomes a beloved figure in America. She is talked about everywhere, and even a wrestling match at Madison Square Garden stops for ten seconds to pay tribute to her. When Stone and those who sponsored Hazel's trip learn that she is not going to die, they fear that she will reveal the truth. However, Hazel, who has fallen in love with Cook, agrees to stage a "suicide" to save the reporter's reputation. As Cook and Hazel, disguised in sunglasses, secretly sail away, the Governor declares a holiday for her funeral.



Books with substantial mentioning of Nothing Sacred

David Thomson
Have you seen?, A personal introduction to 1,000 films
New York, 2008

Duane Byrge, Robert Milton Miller
The Screwball Comedy Films, A History and Filmography, 1934-1942
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London, 1991

Frederick W. Ott
The Films of Carole Lombard
Secaucus, NJ, 1974